SACRAMENTO, March 28 (UPI) -- California's Air Resources Board cut the state's quota for emissions-free vehicles, but added gasoline-electric hybrid cars to the mandate.
Analysts said the move was a severe blow to environmentalists.
Major car companies doing business in California will be required to produce 7,500 electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles for sale in the state each year from 2012 to 2014. The previous commitment was for 25,000 emission-free vehicles.
But, the board now requires 58,000 hybrid cars to be made available in the same period, The Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
"It's my view that both plug-in hybrids and (emission-free vehicles) are a tremendous stretch for the industry," board member Daniel Sperling said.
Executive Director of Plug In America Chelsea Sexton said the board, "sent the message to the car makers that they can always get what they want from the board."
Ford Motor Co. spokeswoman Jennifer Moore said the company would "take some time and study" the new standards.
The board also delayed implementation of the new zero-emissions vehicle quotas from 2011 to 2017 for 10 other states involved in the Zero Emissions Vehicle program, the report said.
